1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device and a process for emergency calling of an assistance center by a vehicle, at the time of an accident, for example, communicating information on identification of the vehicle and on its location on the road system. The advantage of such a device resides in the fact that the assistance center will be able to send aid appropriate for the damaged vehicle, so as to increase the effectiveness of the help.
2. Discussion of the Background
At the present time there are devices for alerting an assistance center by sending an alarm signal through manual triggering with the aid of a button or by automatic triggering, controlled by an impact sensor built into the vehicle. The vehicle in distress sends an alarm signal which is picked up by continuously monitoring receivers and which then is processed by the assistance center to deduce the identification of the vehicle and its location. Such a device is described, for example, in patent application FR 92 12364 in the name of THOMSON C. S. F. BRANCH.
Communication between the vehicle and the assistance generally is established by means of a radiotelephony cellular network on which there are transmitted the data required for the dispatch of aid, such as the position of the vehicle, estimated by a G.P.S. (Global Positioning System) receiver, its speed and the assigned telephone number. To confirm receipt of this alarm message, the assistance center sends tonal signal. In the European patent application EP 0737953 A1 in the name of FORD, if the on-board system in the vehicle does not receive any confirmation signal, it then dials a second telephone number authorizing vocal exchanges, through which the passengers will be able to communicate verbally the necessary information, displayed on an alphanumeric screen.
The principal drawback of these current devices lies in the fact that they necessarily imply that the passengers in the damaged vehicle are in a position to communicate additional information verbally following the accident. The only data sent by the vehicle are a caller identifier, for example the telephone number thereof, the location of the vehicle by its GPS coordinates, and possibly its course and its speed at the time of the accident.
In the event that this information is insufficient and the passengers are unable to supplement it, the assistance center does not optimize the aid which it can send.
The purpose of the invention is to mitigate these drawbacks by proposing a device for emergency calling sending complete information concerning the circumstances of the impact and the number of passengers, as well as possibly a sound recording in the preceding minutes.
For that purpose, a first subject of the invention is a device for emergency calling of an assistance center by a vehicle, said vehicle being equipped with an on-board system which comprises:
a central electronic control unit;
a GPS locating module;
a mobile communication module;
means for manual control;
electronic sensors for functioning of components of the vehicle;
and the assistance center comprising a computer connected to the telephone network by a modem, characterized in that the on-board system further comprises:
a vocal interface between the communication module and the user, containing a microphone, a loud-speaker and an electronic monitoring circuit, in the form of a xe2x80x9chands freexe2x80x9d kit;
a memory dedicated to the recording of audio signals;
sensors for opening of doors of the vehicle;
an impact sensor controlling the cut-off of the fuel intake into the engine of the vehicle;
means for stand-by electrical supply.
A second subject of the invention is a process for emergency calling implemented by a device such as previously claimed, characterized according to a first mode of operation in that it comprises the following stages, executed:
under normal running conditions of the vehicle, by the central unit of the on-board system:
verification of functioning of the mobile communication module,
ongoing saving, over a set minimal duration, of data concerning the running behavior, consisting of the last location points, the speed and the direction of the vehicle,
evaluation of the signals emitted by the sensors and detection of an impact,
estimating and memorizing of the number of passengers,
ongoing recording, over a set minimal duration d, of the acoustical signal picked up by the microphone of the module,
in the event of manual or automatic triggering of the emergency calling procedure:
periodic transmission, through the central unit of the on-board system to the assistance center, of a brief message of memorized data concerning the running behavior of the vehicle,
automatic calling of the telephone number of the assistance center for establishment of a vocal communication between the passengers of the vehicle and the center,
transmission of essential memorized data concerning the running behavior of the vehicle, consisting in particular of the last location point and the type of triggering of the calling procedure, manual or automatic, through xe2x80x9cDual Tone Multiple Frequencyxe2x80x9dxe2x80x94D.T.M.F.xe2x80x94coding, on the voice channel so established,
confirmation of the correct receipt of the data by the assistance center, interrupting the periodic transmission of the data.
According to a second mode of functioning, the process is characterized by the following stages, executed:
under normal running conditions of the vehicle, by the central unit of the on-board system:
verification of the functioning of the mobile communication module,
ongoing saving, over a set minimal duration, of data concerning the running behavior consisting of the last location points, the speed and the direction of the vehicle,
evaluation of the signals emitted by the sensors and detection of an impact,
estimating and memorizing of the number of passengers,
ongoing recording, over a set minimal duration d, of the acoustical signal picked up by the microphone of the module,
in the event of manual or automatic triggering of the emergency calling procedure:
transmission, by the central unit of the on-board system to the assistance center, of a brief message of memorized data concerning the running behavior of the vehicle,
automatic calling of the telephone number of the assistance center for the establishment of a vocal communication between the passengers of the vehicle and the center,
transmission of essential memorized data concerning the running behavior of the vehicle, consisting in particular of the last location point and the type of triggering of the calling procedure, manual or automatic, by xe2x80x9cDual Tone Multiple Frequencyxe2x80x9dxe2x80x94D.T.M.F.xe2x80x94coding, on the voice channel so established,
transmission by the assistance center, in the event of defective receipt of the data, of a command signal for retransmission of data by the on-board system.